I grew up in the midwest of the US fishing off a cabin dock or in a old Lund fishing boat. My grandpa had made us "droplines" that were basic pieces of wood with line wrapped around towards the top. Just a hook, weight, and chunk of worm and we could fill a bucket with perch, bluegill or rock bass. 10-20 feet deep and you would feel every nibble on your finger. A few hand over hand motions and the fish was in the bucket. It really is the best and most interactive way to fish. Just wondering if any others out there fish this way in small lakes or streams.

Hi thewilbur, welcome to HLF. I have fished in small ponds and shallow streams with handlines in the past, the setup is pretty similar to what you've described. I would use earthworms or sometimes prawn meat if I can't get any worms. The usual species caught are cichlids, snakeheads and catfish. Most of the time, I would use a float on the rig so it's more of watching the float for motion. It's a simple, fun and effective way to fish.